Directors in the spotlight

Directorsʼ spotlight

Alistair Gibson

A former keeper on a grouse beat, Alistair Gibson says, despite his foray into the sporting sector, he always knew he’d end up back in livestock farming.

Perhaps it was the desire to always have homebred beef available in his fridge or simply his passion for stockmanship, with limited reliance on technology, but whatever the driver for his involvement in livestock, a clear focus on commercial production is behind his choice of Shorthorns.

Alistair says his aim with Shorthorns is to add value to commercial suckler production and says if he could go back to his 25th birthday he’d tell himself that it is easy to make a good job out of something you enjoy.

In a similar vein, he suggests if he could turn back time he’d get involved in pedigree breeding earlier in his farming career.

For the Cutthorn herd which Alistair founded in 2008, he says given the chance of using a historic bull again he’d take a blast from the more recent past in the shape of Dakota of Upsall.

And while his livestock form the backbone of his enterprise, the farm is also home to a glamping enterprise, generating some welcome extra funds.

Fraser Hugill

While the Hugill family’s Ballard herd may not have had the most conventional of foundations, Fraser is without doubt now firmly committed to Beef Shorthorns.

Starting a herd because the breed looked good value with a view to crossing them with Continental sires to breed replacement heifers, the breed soon showed its true colours and the family were hooked.

With a side business as an environmental consultant and a background in conservation management for the North York Moors National Park, Fraser comes at farming with the aim of managing the land to achieve multiple outcomes.

As a result, some 40% of the farm is in Countryside Stewardship options, with the cattle a key component in helping enhance the farmed environment.

And, while stating he never looks back, only forwards, Fraser does believe there are two bulls from previous times he’d happily have in the herd again now. The first is Glenisla Okotoks, while the second is Chapelton Lilywhite, with both offering different attributes.

If pressed for one piece of advice for his 25 year-old self he simply states that the family should have bought the farm they did 13 years sooner, admitting that such wisdom is likely to be as useful as picking the lottery numbers after the event!

James Fanshawe

Born of New Zealand ancestry and with a passion for native breeds, James Fanshawe bought his first Shorthorns in 1996 when the breed was a rare breed and has since come to appreciate the breed’s temperament and commercial attributes.

Today the Lucombe herd, which is named after a variety of evergreen oak present on the Fanshawes’ farm, runs alongside 400 breeding ewes, with other income coming from renewable energy generation.

James’ accountancy background has, he says, made him view everything as a business, while time spent as a director of EBLEX and a trustee of the Rare Breed Survival Trust, has given him a chance to see other aspects of the industry.

A desire to breed correct females currently drives the Lucombe herd, with cows in the herd currently averaging a classification of 88.9, James says the target of having all cows classified Ex is coming closer.

And, with red meat a staple in the Fanshawe fridge it is clear those animals that don’t match up to James’ ambitions will always be put to good use!

Like other directors James, now a passionate Shorthorn convert, says the only change he’d make in his earlier life would have been to have more Shorthorns sooner.

If he had, perhaps he would have had greater chance to use Fanthill Duke, a bull he says was lost too soon and which, given the opportunity, he’d use again in a heartbeat.

Kenny Mair

With youth on his side it is, perhaps, no surprise that Aberdeenshire-based Kenny Mair cites his phone as the most important piece of farming technology in his armoury, claiming ‘it has the answer to everything’.

A recent entrant to the breed, with the Muiresk herd founded in 2016, Kenny works at home alongside his parents, Barclay and Lucy, and his sister, Sally, managing the Shorthorn herd alongside a herd of Stabilisers and a flock of commercial ewes.

Keen to progress the herd he believes the aim at Muiresk over the next few years will be to improve consistency within the females, with the herd’s relative newness meaning there is a broad mix of genetics at its core.

However, a stockman throughout Kenny says the family was drawn to Shorthorns due to their looks, saying it is vital to have an animal you enjoy working with.

And, while clearly dedicated to his stock, Kenny does insist on making time every Saturday to take time away from the farm to play football, giving him a welcome relief from the day to day toil of livestock farming.

It comes as no surprise that at the tender age of 27 Kenny has limited scope for any advice for his 25 year old self, however, he does suggest if could turn the clock back just a couple of years that he would ensure he backed himself and his judgement more.

Richard Henning

A man clearly content with his lot in life, Northern Irishman Richard Henning, says given the chance he wouldn’t change a thing he’s done in his life.

However, like many farmers Richard isn’t so keen on paperwork, having learned this while working in research and development for a vet pharmaceuticals company after graduating. He does, though say this experience taught him to work with people to get things done.

Today, away from his Mullaglass herd and flock of Texels, Richard works for a large milk processing co-op.

Back at home he takes a hard line when it comes to herd management, with any cows not producing good offspring finding themselves heading down the road fairly swiftly, and heifers having to calve in at 24 months old.

Away from farming Richard is a keen chorister and has a passion for classical music, but he admits that with four grown up children all having moved out of home, the fridge is a little bare, with the freezer well stock with homemade ready meals.

He is though not one for the modern marvels, claiming his 1987 Fiat 80-90 as the farming tech he could not survive without.

Tina Russell

A 25-year veteran of Shorthorn breeding Tina says it was the Nevada herd of Mrs MacDonald and friendly Society members which fired her initial passion for the breed.

As a passionate advocate for young people in the farming industry Tina has previously worked as a youth officer and today heads up the Youth Development Programme for the Aberdeen-Angus Society, helping youngsters develop their skills and knowledge.

In all her activities, both on-farm and off it, Tina draws on a variety of previous roles, many of which have involved dealing with and managing people and procedures as well as communicating with others at various levels of organisations.

On the cattle front Tina says the Longfield herd is dedicated to breeding Shorthorns of the type required in today’s marketplace.

Looking back on the breed’s past, she suggests Balmyle Zeus would be her choice of bull from the past with which to dabble again, while in her own history she would choose to tell her 25-year-old self to simply ‘Believe in yourself’.

One can only hope that the ready supply of white wine and chocolate to be found in the fridge at home isn’t called upon too often to calm the nerves as a result of Tina’s fear of heights!